| Despite the fact that there are a host of e-payment | | | | fraud is on the online vendor. So, if you are an online |
| options out there, it still is a plain fact that the credit | | | | retailer with an internet merchant account, take a look |
| card is the internet's chief currency. Research has | | | | at the following ten tips to prevent credit card fraud:o |
| shown that although credit card companies reimburse | | | | Even if it is a bit of a bother, always insist on the |
| 90 percent of consumers whose cards have been | | | | mailing address, postal or zip code and phone number |
| used fraudulently, more than 75% of internet | | | | of the buyer and verify them before closing the |
| merchants who are credit card fraud victims have to | | | | transaction.o Always ask for a faxed customer |
| bear the cost themselves. Keeping this in mind, it has | | | | signature as well as a faxed Xerox or photocopy of |
| to be said that in spite of the rapid growth of | | | | the credit card.o Check the provided email address |
| e-commerce, online payment still remains an area of | | | | against the name on the credit card and if the name |
| immaturity and major concern for the internet industry, | | | | on the card doesn't match the email then it's best to |
| especially since there is no surefire way eliminating | | | | ask for further ID confirmation before proceeding.o |
| credit card fraud. | | | | Don't process the order unless you are able to directly |
| Though a majority of the buyers rightly stay away | | | | contact the buyer by phone.o Make full use of various |
| from online credit card transactions as far as possible, | | | | address verification services wherever possible.o Be |
| it is the online merchants who have to bear the brunt | | | | extra cautious when shipping overseas especially |
| of this problem. Why? Simply because current | | | | since it can be much harder to pursue claims |
| reimbursement and payment protocols are intended | | | | internationally.o Reject process orders from free email |
| only for face to face transactions where the | | | | domains unless you have irrefutable proof of the |
| cardholder and card are physically present and the | | | | customer's identity.o Check the DNS cable of the |
| sale occurs based on the cardholder's signature and | | | | remote IP of the buyer and use this information to find |
| card imprint. This way there's a certain amount of | | | | out the remote server's geographic area and check it |
| security available to both the merchant and the | | | | against the address of the buyer. Very few people |
| consumer and trust is less of an issue. On the other | | | | connect to the internet using a long distance phone call. |
| hand, when it comes to online credit card transactions | | | | Also, verify the mailing address, email and phone |
| run through an internet merchant account, the deal is a | | | | number of the server since hackers can easily set up |
| blind one since neither the cardholder or merchant | | | | their own servers as well.o Be extremely wary of |
| representative is physically present, which means that | | | | buyers asking for higher priced fast delivery or those |
| the primary responsibility of ensuring a "safe" deal falls | | | | being otherwise cost insensitive, simply because a thief |
| on the merchant even if they have acquired | | | | won't care about the prices as they won't have to |
| authorization from the card issuer. | | | | pay.o Never ship products to postal box numbers and |
| For the consumer, the best way to avoid becoming a | | | | always ask for a physical shipping address. |
| victim is to use virtual card numbers when shopping | | | | So if you own an internet merchant account and you |
| online and make sure they buy only from those | | | | take care and follow the above steps, you'll go a long |
| websites which are secure and encrypt payment | | | | way towards preventing your business from suffering |
| information in order to keep it secure from hackers | | | | the excessive chargebacks that accompany credit |
| and thieves. | | | | cards fraud. |
| Again this means that the onus to prevent credit card | | | | |